The present invention relates to panels for supporting hangers for holding objects and more particularly to panels having perforations for supporting hangers which are camouflaged to disguise the nature of the panel.
Heretofore, perforated panels (peg boards) have been constructed of material such as particle board, reconstituted wood panel, hardboard, or a rigid paper board having a plurality of perforations formed at least partially through the panel in rows and columns. These perforations provide a means for placing hangers upon which objects such as tools and the like may be hung. These panels are unfinished and unattractive limiting their use primarily in work shops, garages and the like. Further, these panels typically become damaged from use and stained by material such as grease, oil, paint, and other material when objects are being hung or removed from the panel.
It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a perforated panel which camouflages the perforations to provide a more attractive appearing perforated panel applicable for use within public access areas such as in a home or retail store. It would be a further benefit to have a perforated panel which camouflages damage and stains which may result from the placing on or removal of objects from the perforated panel.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a perforated panel which camouflages the perforations.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a perforated panel which camouflages stains and/or damage resulting through use of the panel.
Accordingly, a perforated panel having a grid of perforations or holes formed at least partially therethrough for disposing hangers for holding objects thereon and having at least a dark (e.g., black) pattern (e.g., a pigmented material created using paint or ink) thereon for camouflaging the perforations. The panel may have a first pattern of a first pigment and a black pigmented pattern formed thereon.
The perforated panel may be formed of any material such as, but not limited to, reconstituted wood panel, hardboard, rigid paper board or particle board which is capable of supporting hangers and objects which are desired to be stored on the hangers. A base finish, such as a matte finish may be applied to the surface of the panel upon which the objects will be disposed. The base finish may be applied by means of a brush, roller, or spray device. The base finish may consist of one or more colors.
A secondary finish, lighter and/or darker than the base finish, may be spattered onto the base finish. This secondary finish may consist of two or more colors, one of which is matte black so as to camouflage the perforations. The secondary finish may be applied and spattered on the base finish by hitting a flat side of the ferrule of the brush against the hand causing small specks of paint to release from the brush and adhere to the panel. By spattering the secondary finish in this manner from the proper distance, spots are produced in shape and size which aide in the hiding of the perforations.
Additionally, a camouflaged perforated panel of the present invention may be formed by creating a lamina which may be adhered to a panel constructed of a material capable of supporting objects. The panel and lamina are then perforated for disposing and holding of hangers. In this embodiment, the lamina may be constructed of material such as, but not limited to, paper, vinyl or other substantially flexible material. One method of creating the pattern and lamina is by means of offset lithography whereby the image is transferred from an inked plate to an intermediate surface, usually a rubber covered cylinder, that transfers the image onto the desired lamina. The pattern for the xe2x80x9ccamouflagexe2x80x9d may be created in the same manner as described above, or may be computer generated, or hand drawn.
Another method of forming the panel of the present invention is via screen painting. A camouflage pattern is created by spattering each color of the random pattern onto an individual solid substrate. A screen printing stencil is then created photochemically on a fine mesh material such as, but not limited to, nylon, polyester, or metal. One stencil is created for each color pattern. Each screen may then be placed on a surface of the panel and the designated matte finish color is forced through the stencil. It is desired that the matte black finish be applied last. Once the camouflage pattern is applied the perforations or holes may be formed if not already formed by the panel.
The foregoing has outlined the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.